Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Sunny Vachher of Purpose Co Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
It starts with my production company, Purpose Co; a purpose-driven studio focused on creating transformative change through cinematic storytelling. The Great Artist, a Purpose Co Original film, has been created to drive and bring transformative and empowering change for those suffering from mental health disorders. The need to shine a spotlight on mental health is now more critical than ever. A social impact film that was conceptualized, written, produced, filmed, and completed in entirety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlighted by the current pandemic — depression levels are at an all-time high, emphasizing a major underlying mental health issue in the world. As a creator, I felt the need to address the stigma of Mental Health so that people can find the help they need. We are on a mission to help prevent suicide and save lives. We are honored to have the support of our partner nonprofits GLAAD, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, National Alliance on Mental Illness CA (NAMI), National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Movember, Kindred, Tethr, The Tramuto Foundation, and Stand with Impact, who all support our vision and mission with the film and believe the story must be exposed globally in order to create a longing impact and help bring a necessary conversation surrounding disorders to normalize them.
As a part of our series about “Filmmakers Making A Social Impact” I had the pleasure of interviewing Sunny Vachher.
An award-winning Film & TV Producer, Executive Producer, and Digital Content Executive of productions that have achieved international success and celebrated recognition globally at prestigious film festivals around the world such as Cannes Lion, SXSW, LA Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Comic-Con, Sundance, AFI Fest, and many others, and have received digital distribution with top-tier studios.
He is a guest lecturer and speaker at numerous prestigious film schools in Los Angeles and San Francisco to film students on Digital Filmmaking and Media Production in the Entertainment industry. Sunny believes in creating and producing stories and experiences that genuinely have the power to INSPIRE and do GOOD for others through sparking global change. He is a Producer at TED Conferences of prestigious TEDTalks presented by influential individuals worldwide, bringing change globally. Sunny is a Head Mentor and motivational speaker for Young Storytellers Foundation to 5th thru 12th-grade students. He is recognized as a Linkedin top career advisor in Entertainment and Media Production and an AT&T Shape creator, helping filmmakers of all calibers tell cinematic short stories through the organization’s developer programs.
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?
Ever since I was a child, I was always attracted to television and films, and specifically to the television set in my home back in India. That was the only primary way for me to feel mesmerized by the wonderful world of cinema. I would sit in front of the television set and wonder how people were inside the “television set.” Oddly, I used to believe that we, as human beings, could be inside of a television set, on TV dancing, singling, and acting. It was the wildest of my imaginations. I am an Indian (South Asian) American filmmaker who migrated from India to Los Angeles at the age of 10. Growing up in an Indian family and culture, I wasn’t given the freedom to dream about working in a creative field. That was never even a question or a topic of discussion. It was non-existent.
After college, I had a successful corporate finance career for five years before the economy came crashing down and I was displaced. I was asked by a friend in public relations to become a contestant for Mr. India America pageant. I turned it down, thinking why would I ever do such a thing. Fast forward to a month later, I had been selected as a semifinalist for the competition. I ended up winning the title of Mr. India America as well as the People’s Choice award. It was then that I decided to give myself a chance of a lifetime that may never come again and take the risk of leaving everything behind in the corporate world and enter the wonderful world of cinematic experiences. I wanted to do what I loved the most — being a storyteller — and I never looked back.
Can you share the most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
I have always believed in creating experiences that can bring a positive change around my own little world and the world beyond me, with big ideas told in the simplest of ways. I love TEDTalks because of the power a talk has on our communities globally. Always wishing for a chance to one day present my own TEDTalk on the big stage, I applied to the TED Fellows program in hopes that I may be one of the 20 Fellows that are selected in a given year to go around the world and collaborate with other Fellows in creating and executing GOOD initiatives. A few weeks later, I received a call from an Executive informing me that they could not accept my application this time around because the application period closed two weeks ago. But then she said something very surprising; she said they absolutely enjoyed my application and appreciated all my achievements and my vision for wanting to help build a better world and that they will consider my application for the following year’s Fellows program. I was stunned that this was even progressing anywhere. It led to a couple of in-depth interviews.
The TED Team spent a good amount of time really getting to know me and why I genuinely cared so much about being a Fellow. They treated me like I was a part of their family. It felt so good to be appreciated. A couple of weeks later, I received an unexpected phone call from the team asking me if I would be interested in becoming a Producer at TED. I was genuinely left speechless. Truly, I had nothing to say as I felt the floor beneath me had just vanished. I was told that they recognized my passion for making an impact with storytelling as a filmmaker and proposed joining the team. I never imagined I could ever have that opportunity. And the rest is history. Since then, I have had the chance to produce some of the most viral and influential TEDTalks globally. A true honor. Years later, I still find this story so fascinating to tell.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
As a filmmaker, we all start small somewhere. I was lucky enough to begin my Producing career with Hanelle Culpepper, an established A-List Director in Television and Film. I Produced a short film written and directed by Hanelle. It was one of the best experiences I had. Not only did I get a chance to work with a female creator, but I worked alongside a celebrated Director in the industry. Our short film went on to get selected at many festivals and win accolades. I was beyond inspired by her (and still am) and her humble personality and professional work ethic. She treated me like a friend, despite it being our first time working together and that I was new in the industry.
Ten years ago, I met the iconic Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri at the Mr. India America pageant in Los Angeles, and I was immediately drawn to her heroic personality. She’s known for launching the album careers of amazing Artists such as Beyonce and Lady Gaga. She is one of the 100 female creators honored by the United Nations for her work as a social justice filmmaker, a Global Peacemaker, and a Disruptive Innovation Award winner. Recently, I reconnected with Indrani and invited her to direct my most recent social impact film, The Great Artist, which I wrote, produced, and executive produced with my creative partner, Matthew Postlethwaite. I waited a decade to work with her. She is by far one of the best talents in the industry with her honest perspective in taking a cinematic story and creating it into a phenomenon. I am honored to forever share that experience with her. Not only is she a beautiful individual inside out, but she also sees the big picture of the purpose behind the stories that she leads and directs.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am beyond excited about completing and releasing my latest film, The Great Artist (a social impact short film created to bring transformative change for those struggling with mental health disorders). I am now working on developing this story into a TV series for global distribution with a studio. The Great Artist has gone onwards to be in consideration and become a contender at The Academy Awards (OSCARS 2021) for Best Live Action Short.
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
I have always been inspired by Charlie Chaplin and Lucille Ball, my favorite historic and iconic artists ever to grace the earth. Both of which are ever-green artists who have given all visual mediums a high reputation and a place to thrive with integrity. They have helped build the earliest foundations of creativity in the film and television world with silent performances and comedic. Making people laugh and cry simultaneously is something that not all of us can do, but they sure did — pure entertainment with an impact on their global audiences. I hope to be able to do the same.
Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?
It starts with my production company, Purpose Co; a purpose-driven studio focused on creating transformative change through cinematic storytelling. The Great Artist, a Purpose Co Original film, has been created to drive and bring transformative and empowering change for those suffering from mental health disorders. The need to shine a spotlight on mental health is now more critical than ever. A social impact film that was conceptualized, written, produced, filmed, and completed in entirety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlighted by the current pandemic — depression levels are at an all-time high, emphasizing a major underlying mental health issue in the world. As a creator, I felt the need to address the stigma of Mental Health so that people can find the help they need. We are on a mission to help prevent suicide and save lives. We are honored to have the support of our partner nonprofits GLAAD, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, National Alliance on Mental Illness CA (NAMI), National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Movember, Kindred, Tethr, The Tramuto Foundation, and Stand with Impact, who all support our vision and mission with the film and believe the story must be exposed globally in order to create a longing impact and help bring a necessary conversation surrounding disorders to normalize them.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?
We live in a time where depression, suicide, and any other mental health disorder are looked upon as a silent notion and have been for years (taboo). It is something that many cultures and societies around the world will never talk about because it is forbidden to do so and therefore treated as non-existent.
In our daily lives, we find ourselves often lost and lonely at some point because we are trying so hard to please ourselves and everyone around us. We are trying to be so many different characters, but the one character we want to be is our true self. During this lost transition, we experience sudden changes in our feelings and emotions related to feeling lonely and depressed because we are not finding the happiness we seek. All we want and need is to be “found.”
I experienced this firsthand myself, and after having suffered through a mental disorder, I empowered myself to overcome it. I have witnessed the effects of suicide firsthand and have seen friends struggle and eventually end their lives. It’s disturbing to know that I couldn’t do anything at that time to help save them from doing so. With me, I was lucky enough to have the courage to admit to myself that I needed self-care. We all need self-care. Allowing our minds to take control over how we ultimately behave is not a healthy way of living. We have to learn to love ourselves first and foremost and build respect for ourselves. It’s my duty to take this as a challenge and share my experiences with others that may be struggling to help them overcome it.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by your cause?
I have to say there have been more than one, in fact, many, that have already been impacted. Immediately following The Great Artist screenings — the film, in the most honest ways, allowed people that surrounded me to find the courage to speak up about the times where they too experienced a mental disorder on the spectrum. And I say spectrum because it really is one. Everyone has different forms of struggling and overcoming. Many people don’t find the empowerment within themselves to do so. But through the film and its message, I saw a direct change and powerful impact on my communities where others felt comfortable talking to me about their mental health. They felt relieved to be able to break the silence finally. Many of whom are currently on the spectrum with highs and lows from day to day. Experiencing this with others has been one of the most powerful moments of my time thus far as a positive change maker. We’ve really opened up a safe space for our world’s citizens to have a healthy discussion.
Are there three things that individuals, society, or the government can do to support you in this effort?
First and foremost is having a conversation. Our society should help make people feel safe and cared for. It’s about talking about feelings. We must share what it is that we are going through (good or bad). The more we talk about it, the more it becomes “normal.” The more it becomes accepted in society to discuss mental health disorders. The moment one person speaks up, it immediately empowers another person to feel the comfortability to share their struggles with us.
Secondly, we have to make essential changes in how we perceive mental health disorders in society. It’s labeled as TABOO, and that’s a shame because it should not be silenced. Silencing someone’s feelings is like killing that person alive. We shouldn’t feel ashamed about being depressed.
Thirdly, we must listen, be supportive, and understanding (even if we don’t understand it at that moment). We have to remember that the most powerful feeling in this universe is LOVE. And Love is what matters; it is what brings us happiness, it is what helps build our success as human beings. The world itself is a super-society where the actions of one person making a change can genuinely touch billions easily. We just have to take that first step.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
– Learn to take rejection. Being new in the industry, I didn’t expect to be rejected 9 out of 10 times because I thought I was GREAT. It took a lot of rejection to realize that we aren’t perfect for everything we wish to touch.
– Build community. Starting out, I strived to make as many “relationships” as I could because in my mind, I thought the more people I befriend, the more success I will find. But truthfully, making relationships for the benefit of our own is unhealthy.
– Bravery. It takes a lot of courage to get up every day and go out into the creative world. Try to develop yourself as an important individual in a society where there is no guarantee of anything. Having the ability to be brave every step of the way (up or down) is paramount.
– Love yourself. As creatives in the industry, we forget to love ourselves and instead direct our attention to being loved by others because we feel that others giving us attention is the definition of our success. But the truth is that the definition of our success lies in our love for ourselves and others. It lies in our true happiness.
– Being different. In a world of many creatives, it’s not easy to be different or unique. Especially when most people share the same creativity aspects. We thrive on being like others so that we can fit into the norm. We become eager to be accepted into circles and to find respect amongst others. Trying to fit into the elite does not make us elite. Our uniqueness is our eliteness. We shouldn’t forget that. Being different is our pride.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
We have the power in our hands to make the future world a wonderful place, but to do that, we have to spread love and kindness throughout every society. Being a force for good is important because it allows all generations to learn from one another. A random act of kindness and a small act of goodness is the largest of stories ever created. Who you are today will shape who someone else is tomorrow.
We are very blessed that many other Social Impact Heroes read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would like to collaborate with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
I would love to collaborate with Oprah. She is truly a selfless queen. She is one of my heroes. I admire her for the love that she has showered upon so many people in the world. I look up to her, for she has given hope and courage to those that never saw it possible, despite all her own struggles that she has suffered throughout her lifetime. As she continues to spread greatness today, I hope to live in her legacy (even if it’s just a small glimpse). She is the world’s savior in many ways. A humanitarian that has given the empowerment to all ages to be what they want to be and fight for ours with honesty and integrity.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“It’s about doing GOOD (for others).” This has become my mission and my vision for my life in its entirety. I believe it’s a blessing that I received in legacy from my late lovely grandmother, a golden-hearted, selfless lady with so much love to give. She was truly the queen of Love. Even her name, Prem Rani, means Love Queen in English. She gifted me the most significant lesson and continuous journey of my life that has shaped who I am today. She always said: It doesn’t matter who you become, where you go, or whom you are with, forever and always do good for others; that is your purpose. She taught me to be the different one in the room, to be the bolder one, and to have my voice heard because it mattered, because I mattered. She wished for me to make a genuine difference with anything and everything I choose to do in my life. And that is exactly what I am doing. Doing good and being kind has the power to change the world. It’s so simple yet still a hard concept for so many people to adopt.
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram @iSunny
Facebook @iSunny
Twitter @SunnyVachher
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/sunnyvachher
The Great Artist Film on Instagram & Facebook: @TheGreatArtistFilm
This was great, thank you so much for sharing your story and doing this with us. We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Sunny Vachher of Purpose Co Is Helping To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.